§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether all the local authorities within the area of the Middle Thames Water Board have yet agreed to fluoridation; what his estimate is of the length of time it will take to secure implementation, once agreement is reached; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonParts of three local health authorities are served by the Middle Thames Water Board—Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey. Buckinghamshire and Surrey are in favour of fluoridation of their water supplies but Berkshire392W have resolved against fluoridation on a number of occasions, most recently in February, 1971.
The water board is not prepared to consider fluoridating its supply until all the local health authorities involved have agreed. As the water board has not prepared plans for a fluoridation scheme and because implementation times vary so much, it is not possible to estimate the length of time it would take to start fluoridation once the decision to do so had been taken.